CHAPTER 303: CHAPTER 303: DOWRY (PART 5)

A few people entered the Zhiqu Courtyard one by one. Tong Xiyang, being the eldest, naturally took the main seat. Xiqiu had Chunyan serve tea. Tong Xiyang held a pastel porcelain cup with a butterfly playing among orchids, took a gentle sip, and smiled, saying, "It’s actually Laojun Mei. How rare it is that Sixth Sister even has other teas prepared here!"

Xiqiu responded with a smile, "We always had it; it’s just that Third Sister is such a rare guest, I’ve not had the chance to show this courtesy!" Hearing this, Tong Xiyang raised an eyebrow, covered her mouth with her sleeve to laugh, and said, "Sixth Sister jests, I dare not accept your courtesy. If so, wouldn’t our Third Master reprimand me?"

Tong Xiyu looked puzzled and asked, "Why would Third Brother-in-law reprimand you?"

Tong Xiyang put on an expression suggesting they didn’t understand, but her gaze at Xiqiu was laced with sarcasm: "Our Third Master and Grand Commander Xiao are close brothers. Their relationship is so good that if Grand Commander Xiao wanted Third Master’s head, Third Master would send it without hesitation. You tell me... how could I dare accept Sixth Sister’s courtesy?" With that, she covered her mouth and laughed.

Xiqiu lowered her head to drink her tea while Tong Xiyan’s gaze shifted as he smiled and said, "Since their relationship is so good, why didn’t he accompany Grand Commander Xiao to Liaodong? It’s truly a pity!" His face full of mockery as well.

Tong Xiyang’s face stiffened, and she replied with a smile, "Wasn’t he sick? Besides, you can’t just go to the battlefield as you please. Fourth Sister, do you think everyone has Grand Commander Xiao’s luck and skills?" She placed luck first, implying that Fourth Master Xiao’s success was owing to luck.

Tong Xiyu stiffened upon hearing this and pulled at Tong Xiyang’s sleeve, but Xiqiu suddenly raised her head and looked at Tong Xiyang, saying, "Third Sister, it’s rare for you to return. Let’s not just talk about these things. It’s been more than half a year since your marriage. I wonder..." Her gaze fell on Tong Xiyang’s belly, and she blushed and laughed.

The smile on Tong Xiyang’s face vanished instantly. She glared angrily at Xiqiu. She had been married for half a year without any issue. Initially, all was well; her mother-in-law hadn’t said anything and even advised her not to worry. However, ever since the Second Lady became pregnant again, her mother-in-law’s attitude had visibly grown distant!

Who gets married and immediately has children? It’s only been half a year!

Tong Xiyang coldly snorted in her heart, forcibly putting on a slight smile and saying, "These things don’t just happen because you want them to. Besides, your Third Brother-in-law hasn’t been well recently. I haven’t had the time to think about it." With that, she took another sip of tea, her gaze sweeping over her sisters’ faces.

Xiqiu nodded seriously, "Third Sister is right; Brother-in-law is indeed very busy usually!" Ren Jun spends twenty-nine out of thirty days away from the mansion each month, yet Tong Xiyang returns without mentioning it, not even when the First Master was around back then.

Seeing Tong Xiyang suffer a defeat, Tong Xiyan secretly rejoiced, casting a glance at Xiqiu and winking at her with eyes full of delight. Tong Xiyang knitted her brows at this and changed the topic, saying, "Speaking of Sixth Sister’s marriage, I forgot to congratulate Fourth Sister. Young Master Jiang is quite a rising star at court, isn’t he? Fourth Sister had a good eye back then."

Tong Xiyan’s face changed, but Tong Xiyang continued as if unaware, happily saying, "You all have really been through ups and downs. After all that, you’re finally engaged. In my opinion, it’s a blessing the Zhou Family broke off the engagement, or else poor Young Master Jiang would have waited two years for nothing."

"Shut up!" Tong Xiyan was most sensitive about this topic. She wasn’t afraid, but Jiang Shilin, now honored as a fifth-rank vice minister, would cause a scandal if rumors spread, inciting censorial impeachment. No matter how many explanations she might have, none would clear her name: "Third Sister, don’t be so eager to expose someone else’s wounds. Don’t forget how you married into the Marquis Mansion. Hmph! Compared to yours, my situation is really not worth mentioning."

"You!" Tong Xiyang abruptly stood up, pointing angrily at Tong Xiyan, unable to speak. Xiqiu sat calmly on the side, while Tong Xiyu turned pale in shock, quickly standing to play the mediator: "Third Sister, Fourth Sister, let’s speak less of this. We sisters rarely gather; let’s say happy things instead of arguing!" She then turned to Xiqiu, asking, "Sixth Sister, please persuade Fourth Sister; she listens to you the most."

Originally, Tong Xiyang was fine, but upon hearing this, her face darkened instantly. She reached out and smashed the teacup she was holding onto the ground, pointing at Xiqiu and said, "You don’t have to slander me behind my back every day. The marriage to the Marquis Mansion was your own failure to grasp, hasn’t it occurred to you to blame me? Besides, haven’t you now risen to power yourself? Is this your way of showing off your riches to me? Let’s be clear, even if I was in rags begging for food, I wouldn’t come knocking at your door." With that, she flung her sleeves and left, not looking back, with her maid.

Tong Xiyu looked troubled: "Third Sister, let me see you out." She said, lifting her skirt and chasing after her. Xiqiu also stood up, saying coldly, "Third Sister, no need to see you out!"

Tong Xiyan squinted at Tong Xiyang’s back and said, "Begging for food? I think she’s not too far from that fate herself!" She then pointed at Tong Xiyu’s retreating figure with a cold sneer, "Didn’t you notice? She eagerly plodded after. She thinks marrying into the Marquis Mansion would give her some backing; empty-headed creature!"

Xiqiu often found Tong Xiyu’s actions inexplicable. Though she seemed close to Tong Xiyang, Tong Xiyang didn’t favor her, nor did anyone else find her likable. Even Lady’s attitude towards her had cooled after the affair with the Marquis Mansion!

After sitting and chatting with Xiqiu for a while, Tong Xiyan stood up to leave, saying, "In the afternoon, a few stewards from my dowry estate are coming over. Nanny Fang said she’d introduce them to me; I’ve got to look at them. Let’s have dinner together tonight."

Her dowry was prepared last year by Lady, appearing equal with fifty-six sedan chairs just like Tong Xiyang’s, but she had two more estates and an extra shop than Tong Xiyang. Lady, initially cautious, had completely entrusted Nanny Fang after Madam Xia personally managed Xiqiu’s dowry, adding two thousand more taels as bottom money for Tong Xiyang.

Since Tong Xiyang left, Madam Xia arrived with Xiuzhi, and Xiqiu told her about choosing maids in the morning: "Once Nanny Qian has taught the rules, you might want to add two on your side as well. It’s hard for Xiuzhi to manage everything alone."

This time, Madam Xia did not refuse. She nodded and said, "Indeed, it’s like that. Xiuzhi now spends every day with me doing accounts, leaving Dongqing to manage things in the courtyard. Adding two more would indeed be good!" Madam Xia finished, flashing a smile at Xiqiu: "I’ve picked two jewelry boxes; look and see which one you like. The shopkeeper at the Brocade Pavilion said that we’d have to wait until next year to order, as many weddings during the mourning period have piled up; it’s quite sought after!"

Xiuzhi took out two jewelry boxes from the box he carried, one with cloisonné enamel and a bright mirror, the other an old-fashioned redwood box carved with three drawers of magpies on plum trees. Xiqiu’s gaze fell on the redwood one, and she spoke to Madam Xia, "I remember you had the furniture measured at their place for a redwood suite, right? Why not choose this redwood one; the color coordination in the room would match better!"